# US 12,180,791 B2 · Method and system for drilling fluid monitoring

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- Number: US 12,180,791 B2
- Document ID: US12180791B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/056,608
- Filed: 2022-11-17
- Published: 2024-05-23
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2022-11-17
- Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Inventors: Tulio D. Olivares Antunez; Walid Zahrani; Rafael M. Pino
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12180791B2

## CPC

- E21B 21/01: Arrangements for handling drilling fluids or cuttings outside the borehole, e.g. mud boxes
- E21B 21/062: {by mixing components}
- E21B 21/08: Controlling or monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid, e.g. automatic filling of boreholes, automatic control of bottom pressure (valve arrangements therefor E21B21/10)
- G01N 33/2823: {Raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures}
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A method includes mixing, in an active pit, a drilling fluid to be introduced to a wellbore; receiving, through a flowline, the drilling fluid from the wellbore; obtaining sensor data, using one or more sensor coupled to at least one of the active pit and the flowline, on at least one of coefficient of friction and lubricant content of the drilling fluid; and determining, using an automated control system, whether a lubricant needs to be added to the drilling fluid based on the sensor data.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
mixing, in an active pit, a drilling fluid to be introduced to a wellbore;
receiving, through a flowline, the drilling fluid from the wellbore;
obtaining sensor data, using sensors disposed in the active pit and in the flowline, on coefficient of friction and lubricant content of the drilling fluid before and after being introduced to the wellbore;
and
comparing a first piece of the sensor data obtained at the active pit, a second piece of the sensor data obtained at the flowline, and predetermined values of coefficient of friction and lubricant content, for evaluating a loss of the drilling fluid and for determining whether a lubricant needs to be added to the drilling fluid.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining, by a user device, the predetermined value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating an additional amount of lubricant needed to comply with the predetermined value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the calculating is based on a volume of the drilling fluid in circulation and a difference between the sensor data and the predetermined value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting a command to cause the additional amount of lubricant to be supplied to the drilling fluid.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a type of lubricant based on whether the drilling fluid contains water-based mud or oil-based mud.

### Claim 7

A system, comprising:
an active pit containing a drilling fluid to be introduced to a wellbore;
a flowline receiving the drilling fluid from the wellbore, sensors disposed in the active pit and in the flowline and configured to obtain sensor data on at least one of coefficient of friction and lubricant content of the drilling fluid before and after being introduced to the wellbore; and
an automated control system configured to make a determination on whether a lubricant needs to be added to the drilling fluid and configured to evaluate a loss of the drilling fluid, by comparing a first piece of the sensor data obtained at the active pit, a second piece of the sensor data obtained at the flowline, and predetermined values of coefficient of friction and lubricant content.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, further comprises a user device for inputting the predetermined value.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the automated control system is configured to calculate an additional amount of lubricant needed to comply with the predetermined value.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the automated control system is configured to calculate the additional amount based on a volume of the drilling fluid in circulation and a difference between the sensor data and the predetermined value.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the automated control system is configured to transmit a command to cause the additional amount of lubricant to be supplied to the drilling fluid.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the automated control system is configured to select a type of lubricant based on whether the drilling fluid contains water-based mud or oil-based mud.